University of California proposes more online degree programs

University of California proposes more online degree programs

Online education is a growing topic of discussion at many California colleges. For example, the University of California (UC) Board of Regents, who vote on important decisions regarding the school, recently supported a proposed experiment to convert more of the university's traditional campus-based courses into an online format, CBS Channel 5 News reports.

The pilot project, which is led by the dean of UC Berkeley's law school, would involve placing 25 to 40 of the university's most popular courses entirely online. UC extension programs currently offer more than 1,250 web-based class options.

The exact design of the program is being developed by a team of administration and faculty who are creating high touch content, where participants maintain close contact with professors via video, chat rooms and other online tools.

UC Berkeley dean of the law school, Christopher Edley, told the news source that he envisions an idea of "democratizing excellence," where education is excellent and accessible, rather than exclusive. The project could prove that fully online instruction can broaden access to quality education and offer opportunities for innovative types of instruction.

According to the Sloan Consortium, more than 3.2 million postsecondary students in the U.S. were enrolled in at least one online course during the 2007-2008 academic year.

By Mark Danson